Braiding machine



Feb. 9 1926. 1,572,712

0. A. FREDERICKSON BRAIDING MACHINE Filed May 15. 1925 2 Shets-Shet 1 ATTORNEY.

Feb. 9 1926.

O.-A. FREDERICKSON BRAIDING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 9, 19

nane OTTO A. FREDERICKSON, OF XVE'IHEREEIELD, COITNECTI T essreno'n T0 THE AMERICAN WIREMOLD COMPANY. OF HARTFORD, COBTEIFEEGTICUT,A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

Application filed. May 15, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, O'r'ro A. Fnnonnronsort, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVethersfield, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have inventor an Improvement in Braiding Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to braiding machines, and more particularly to means for supporting and driving the inner yarn carmore.

Braiding machines as heretofore commonly constructed are provided with a re volving outer drum which supports the outer yarn carriers and also the outer ends of the inner yarn carriers, and the inner yarn carriers are driven in one direction while the outer drum and the outer yarn carriers are rotated inthe opposite direction. This revolving outer drum is commonly provided wit-h vertical slots thru which the outer strands of yarn pass inwardly to the braiding point, and in the inner face of the revolving drum is formed an annular groove or slide-way adapted to support the outer end of the inner yarn can riers, and this groove crosses the vertical slots.

These braiding machines as commonly constructed heretofore are provided with. a pair of rollers mounted upon the outer end of each inner yarn carrier to rotate in a horizontal plane and in position to extend into the annular groove of the revolving drum to support the outer end of the inner carriers, and another roller is commonly rotatably secured to the outer portion of each carrier to rotate in a vertical plane in position to be engaged by a driver that pushes the inner carriers around their path of travel.

One illustration of a braiding machine employing these features which are now extensively used is found in the patent to Anker Petersen, No. 13,451,550, granted Orr tober 2, 1917.

Braiding machines constructed in the manner above indicated, and as shown in said patent, work fairly satisfactorily when driven at a moderate speed, but they do not work well when driven at high speed, because, when the braiding machine is or- IBRAIDING- MACLEEIE E.

Serial No. 30,468.

erated at high speed the centrifugal force of the inner carriers causes the rollers at the outer end of the inner carriers to press hard against the inner wall of the annular groove of the rotating drum, and since this groove is intersected bythe vertical yarn receiving slots, the rollers rotating in the annular groove produce a thumping or hammering effect each time they pass over a vertical slot. Furthermore, it is difficult to lubricate these rollers properly without permitting the oil to soil the outer yarn passing thru the vertical slots, and the bearings of these wheels are likely to stick so that the wheels fail to rotate and drag, or the bearings become worn so that the wheels run too loosely.

Another objection to these braiding machines now in use resides in the means for pushing the inner carriers around their path of travel and which consistsof a pair of rollers, one journaled upon the inner yarn carrier and the other upon the rotating driver frame. These cooperating rollers pinch each strand of outer yarn that passes under the inner carrier, and since one of the cooperating rollers lies considerably below the other, as shown in the patent above mentioned, the pushing force that drives an inner carrier is in an upwardly inclined direction and is much greater than would be required if the axis of the cooperating rolls were in the same horizontal plane. It therefore follows that the pinching force upon the outer strands of yarn is much greater than the horizontal propelling force exerted 4 upon the inner carrier.

When a pair of driving rollers are em--' ployed one upon. the inner carrier and the other upon the rotating driver, as just described, it is possible for the inner carrier to race ahead of the driver when the speed of the braiding machine is being checked, and to prevent this itv has been proposed heretofore to provide the driver frame with a second roller positioned in front of the first to prevent ioverrunning, but this increases the number of rollers that engage the outer strands of yarn as the inner and outer carriers travel in opposite directions.

-Having the above matters in mind, the present invention relates to meansfor supporting and driving the inner carriers, so that the hammering effect and other objectionable features incident to the use of roll.- ers that extend into the annular groove of the rotating drum are avoided, and, in ac-- cordance with the present invention, the inner carriers are driven about their path of travel without overrunning and without the outer strands of yarn being pinched by the driving means.

One important feature of the present invention resides in a rotating driving frame having driving disks, and in blocks secured tothe inner yarn carriers and each having a bearing surface that rests upon and partly embraces a driving disk so that these disks serve to support and drive the inner earriers. The driving disks are preferably provided with a number of notches thru which the outer strands of yarn may pass between the. block and disk without being pinched, and the disks are preferably positively rotated within the bearing blocks so that different strands of yarn enter the different notches, thus dist ibuting the wearing effectof the yarn thruout a number of notches. p

The notched driving disk and cooperating bearing block of the present invention may be constructed of various materials, but it is found they work extremely well when the disk is. formed of hardened steel and the block: isformed 'of oil treated wood. This provides a self lubricating bearing between the disk and block which will supply just enough oil to permit. the disk to rotate smoothly against the block; and another feature of the invention therefore resides in an oiltreated wooden block mounted upon the inner carrier in position to be engaged by the driving disk.

Another important feature of the invention resides in a shoe or in shoes extending from the outer end of each inner carrier into sliding engagement with an annular bearing surface, or an annular groove, formed in the inner face of the revolving outer drum. These shoes serve to take the outward thrust of the inner carriers due to centrifugal force and to retain the inner carriers in place, and it is found that these shoes work most satisfactorily when formed of wood treated with oil or soaked in oil. The wooden shoes not only slid-e freely and smoothly along the annular bearing surface of'the drum and over the vertical slots, but it is unnecessaryto lubricate the shoes that have been soaked in oil.

This is'important because if oil is applied to the annular bearing surface, it will accumulate where the vertical slots intersect the annularbearing surface and will. soil the outer strands of yarn passing thru these slots;the lubricant will'also cause particles of lint to adhere to the annular bearing surface. By forming the shoes of oil soaked wood, in accordance with the present invention, the heat produced by friction upon the shoe will serve to drive out of the wood just enough oil to supply the required lubricant, without supplying enough oilv to soil. the outer strands of yarn.

Other features of the invention-and novel combination of parts in addition to the above will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate good, practical forms of the invert tion.

In the drawings:-

Fig. 1 is perspective view of a portion of a braiding machine provided with an inner yarn carrier that is supported and driven in accordance with the present invention Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thru a portion of a braiding machine showing a modification of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view thru a portion of a braiding machine showing another modification of the invention; and

Fig. 4; is a vertical sectional view th-ru the braiding machine of Fig. 1..

The novel means of the present invention for supporting and. driving the inner yarn carriers may be used in connection with various types of braiding machines which for the mostpart are of the usual or any pre ferred construction. In the braiding ma.- chine shownthe operating parts are supported by a frame 'or table 10 that may be provided with supporting legs not shown, and the table 10 is provided with inwardly extending arms 11 which support at their innerends afi-xed vertically disposed'drum 12, which drum is shown as having an internal diameter much larger than the tie-KL ble core a that passes upwardly thru the drumto the braiding point.

Supported from the central fixed drun'. 12 is the revolving outer drum l3having a laterally inwardly extending flange portion ll which connects the outer portion of the drum to its hub 15. A ring 16- which supports the outer yarn carriers is mounted upon the upper end of the revolving outer drum 13, and this ring is shown asinsulated from the drum 13 by non-conducting material 17. The outer yarn masses 18 are supported by brackets 19 secured to the ring 16.

A raceway for the inner yarn'carriers is formed between the revolving outer drum 13 and the fixed drum 12, and the inner carriers 20 that travel in this race-way are shown as comprising an elongated hollow frame adapted to receive the inner yarn mass 21, and in the construction shownin Figs. 1 and at each inner yarn carrier is provided with a roller 22 at its inner end that rotatably secured to the carrierby a screw 23, and these rollers 22 rest upon anannular race-way or track 24 formed upon the fired disk or spider 25 the hub of which is rigidly secured to the upper portion of the fixed drum 12. At the outer end of each inner car rier -is provided a shoe or a pair of shoes 26 that slidably engage an annlar bearing surface formed in the inner face of the revolving outer drum 13, and these shoes, which form an important part of the present invention, will be hereinafter more fully described.

During the operation of the braiding machine the outer yarn carriers are rotated in one direction about the axis of the braiding machine, and the inner yarn carriers are rotated in the opposite direction, and the means shown for driving the outer and inner yarn carriers will now be described. Between-the hub 15 of the revolving outer drum and the fixed drum 12 is rotatably mounted an intermediate drum 2'? which is rotatably supported by an anti-friction bearing 28, shown as mounted between a laterally extending annular flange portion 29 of the intermediate drum, and the laterally extending annular flange portion 30 of the fixed drum The antifriction bearing 28 is shown as formed of balls the lower portions of which lie in an annular groove formed in the flange 30, and the upper portions of which extend into an annular groove formed in the lower face of the flange 29.

The revolving outer drum 13 is rotatably mounted upon and is supported by the intermediate drum 27, and the intermediate drum 2-7 is provided with a lower laterally extending flange portion 31 provided with an upardly extending annular wall 32 at the upper end of which is formed a ball racemy adapted to receive the anti-friction balls 3% that extend into an annular-groove formed in the lower face of the flange por tion 14 of the revolving outer drum. The arrangement is such that while the intermediate drum 27 rotatably supports the revolving outer drum 13, these, two drums are free to rotate in opposite directions. In order to drive these two drums in opposite directions the laterally ext-ending portion 14 of the revolving outer drum has secured to its lower face a ring gear 85 which is secured to the portion 14 by bolts 36, and the laterally extending portion 31 of the intermediate drum 27 is provided with a ring gear 37 positioned below the ring gear 35 and rigidly secured to the flange portion 31 by bolts 38. A bevel gear not shown engages the teeth of the ring gears and 37 and drives the gears and the parts to which they are secured in opposite directions.

. The operating mechanism so far described illustrated to make clear the features of the invention which will now be set forth, but it will be understood that the novel features about to be described may be used in connection with various types of braidin O #3 machines other than that shown.

concave bearing surface 44 that is adapte The driving means for the inner carriers, 20 consist of a driver frame 39 having a hub; 40 which is rigidly secured to the upper portion of the intermediate drum 27 by a suitable securing means such as a key 41; 7 and this driver frame is provided with a number of driving disks which serve to drive the inner yarn carriers. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the driving disks 42 serve to drive the inner yarn carriers and also to support the outer ends of these carriers, and the driving disks are therefore shown as posi tioned upon the driving frame so that they: lie below the outer end portion of the innerQ yarn carriers. Each inner yarn carrier 20" is provided with a block 43 secured. to under face and each block is formed with 'a to receive and rest upon the upper curved surface of a driving disk 42, the arrange? ment being such that the travel of each inner yarn carrier is positively controlled byedriving disk 42 and the cooperation between" the disk and block is such that the carrier cannot race ahead of its particular driving. disk when the braiding machine is being suddenly stopped. Q

As usual the inner yarn carrierspass" alternately over and under the strands ch yarn 4-5 led downwardly from the different outer yarn masses 18 to the traversing arrii's 46 and from'these arms thru vertical slots" 47 of the revolving outer drum to the braid? ing point 48. In order to prevent these outer strands of yarn 45 from being injured as they pass between a driving disk 42 and its cooperating block 43, each disk 42 isprovided with a number of yarn receiving slots 49 and the disks 42 are positively r tated at such a speed that one of the notches 1-9 will always be in position to receive anouter strand of yarn as the inner carrier passes over the same and will cause the sh 43 to pass over the strand of yarn Witho' 1 injuring the same. In order to drive the disks 4-2 at the proper speed, each disk is rigidly secured to a horizontally extending. shaft journaled within a bearing block:5 secured to the driver frame 39, and at the} inner end of each of these shafts is rigidly. secured a bevel gear 51 the teeth of which mesh with an annular rack 52 formed in the under face of the fixed disk or spider frame 25. As the intermediate drum 27 and driver frame secured thereto are rotated the en-. gagement of'the pinions 51 with the. annular rack 52 will rotate the various disks 42 at the proper rate of speed. Since the driving disks 42 and coope ating blocks 43 serve not only to drive the inner carriers, but also to support the same, it is unnecessary that the shoe or shoes 26?; at the outer ends of the inner carriers support the weight of the carriers, and" it should be :noted that. in Figs. 1 and 4 the annular bearing surface-53 is formed as an annular-- groove withthe'l'ower portion of the groove cutaway as at 54. This may be desirablebecauseif the shoes 26 support the weight of the. inner carriers, the blocks 43 might in some cases be held out of engagement with the-driving disks 42, which is not desired. It will therefore be understood that in'the constructionshown in Figs. 1 and the shoes serve totake the outward thrust of the inner yarn carriers, due to centrifugal fo'rce,--and that they serve also to keep the outer ends of the carriers from lifting: up under the driving action of the disks a2,-and they further serve to maintain the inner carriers properly seated uponthe driving'disks, but they' do nottneed to support the weight of the. inner carriers.

The traversing arms 4L6 may be operated as'usual' by'ia shoe secured to'eaeh arm, and which slides in the serpentine groove formed in: the inner face of the fixed outer drum 56-rigidly secured to the supporting table 10. The-swinging movement imparted to the traversing; arms '46 should be sufficient to depress the lower strand of yarn 45 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig; 4, where it will be noted that this strand lies below the lower edge of the block 43, so that itniay enter oneof the notches 49 -of the rotating disk without engaging the. block 4&3, and as the strand of yarn passes the innerend ofthe inner carrier it isheld out of engagement with the guides of-the inneroarrierand the yarn mass 21 ofathe inner carrier by the yarnsp g disk 57'.

It-is found that the sliding-shoes 26 work extremely satisfactorily when they are formed of wood which has been soaked in oil,aas the use-of oil soaked shoes makes it unnecessary- "tosupply any lubricant to the shoes or annular bearing surfaces other than thatsupplie'dby the'oilxof the wood, and ifrthe'temperature of the shoes rises, due to friction, t heheat will drive out just enough oil to furnish the desired lubrica tion. This is important because it has been found 'di'iiicult heretofore to keep the annular groove. or runway that supports the outer end of the inner yarn carrier properly lubricated, without causing the oil to accumaulate at the vertical slots 47 where it will soil the outer strands of yarn.

Since the notched driving disks 4:2 rotate against .the bearing surface of the blocks 43, .it is found very desirable to form these blocks of wood that has beenutreated with oil,=-as-theoil treated wood will lubricate the face of the driving disks suiiiciently to permit them to'rotate smoothly against the blocks, while the wood will not supply enoughoil to soilthe inner strands of yarn passing thru' the notches 49, and the notched yarn mass 65.

disks 42 are preferably formed of hardened steel. When oil treated wood isemployed as a bearing. element it is important that the bearing surface which it engages be smooth and highly polished. The bearing surface 53 against whichthe wooden shoes 26 slide should be highly polished, as should also the block engaging face of the disks 42. v

The novel means herein described for supporting and. driving'the inner yarn carriers may be easily applied to the type of inner yarn carriers now in use. That is the present invention may be readily and inexpensively installed in machines now in actual use as well as in new braiding machines. This is dueto the fact that the frames of the inner yarn carriers have been commonly provided heretofore with spaced laterally disposed slots in which the wheels rotate that project into the annular groove of the outer drum, and it is a simple mat ter to remove these wheels and substitute therefor the shoes 26 of the present invention which may be secured in the slots of the inner yarn carriers by'screws 58.

Likewise the frames of the inner yarn carrieri-i used heretofore have been provided with a vertical slot in which a drivingv roller is mounted. It is a simple matter to remove the driving roller from the inner yarn carriers now in use and secure to these carriers the block4t3 of the present invention, which is provided with a reduced portion 59 that is adapted to fit the slot just mentioned and maybe secured therein by the screws 60.

In some embodiments of the invention it may be desirable to position the supporting block and cooperating driving disk of each inner carrier, so thatthese cooperating elements will support the entire or the greater portion of the weight of the inner carrier, and in Fig. 2 amodified construction is shown in which the driving .disk. 61 is disposed below the inner carrier frame 62 at a point sufiicientlynear the inner end ofthe carrier to supportits inner end, and the coope-rating block 63 is secured to the inner carrier frame in position to rest upon the drivingdisk 61 and the upper face of this block is cut away as at'61. to clear the inner As a result of this construction the supporting roller 22. shown in Figs. 1 and 4 at the inner end of the carrier may be omitted sincethe carrier may be supported at its outer end by the shoe 26 sliding inthe annular groove 66, and at its inner end by the cooperating driving disk (31 and block 63. w

In Fig. 3 a further modification of the invention is shown in which one driving disk 67 cooperates-with a bearing block 68 to support the outer end of the inner yarn rier is supported by a second driving disk 70 which cooperates with a bearing block 71. In this construction, as in Fig. 2, it is unnecessary to provide a supporting roller 22 at the inner end of the inner carrier. It will be understood that in Fig. 3 the driving disks 6? and 70 are rigidly secured to and are rotated by the driving shaft having the bevel gear '72 secured to its inner end, and the driving disk 70 may be somewhat smaller in diameter than the disk 67, since it travels thru a smaller circle as the inner carrier travels about the axis of the braiding machine. 7 i

In each of the constructions shown, the outer strands of yarn pass between the driving disks and cooperating blocks without being pinched, and the shoes at the outer end of the inner carriers slide smoothly along the' annular bearing surface of the revolving drum and over the vertical slots without any thumping or hammering effect.

What is claimed is 1. In a braiding machine, the combination of a revolving drum having an annular bearing surface facing the axis of the machine, inner yarn carriers, a driver for the inner carriers, means for rotating the driver about the axis of the machine, driving disks carried by said driver, blocks secured to the carriers and having bearing surfaces that restupon the driving disks to cause these disks to support and drive the inner carriers, and thrust means extending from the inner carriers into engagement with said bearing surface.

2. In a braiding machine, the combinatlon of a revolving drum having an annular bearing surface facing the axis of the machine, inner yarn carriers supported within the revolving drum to travel in a horizontal .plane, a driver for the inner carriers, means for rotating the driver about the axis of the machine, driving disks carried by said driver, blocks secured to the inner carriers and having concave bearing surfaces that rest upon the driving disks to cause the disks to support and drive the inner carriers, and thrust means extending from the inner carriers 1nto engagement with said bearing surface.

3. In a'braidmg machine, the combination of a revolvingdrum having an annular bearing surface facing .the axis of the machine, nner yarn carriers each constructed to support a yarn mass, a race-Way for supporting theinner end of the carriers, a

driver for the inner-carriers, means forrotatmg the: dr ver,,dr1vmg disks carried by the driver, blocks secured to the carriers and constructed .to rest upon the disks ,to

drive; the carriers and support their outer ends, and thrust, means extending from the inner carriers intoj engagement with said bearing surface.

4-. In a braiding machine, the combination of a revolving drum having an annular bearing surface facing the axis of the mavolving drum, a driver for the inner car riers, means for rotating the driver, driving disks carried by the driver, blocks secured to the carriers and having concave bearing faces that rest upon and partly'embrace the disks to support the carriers and form a positive driving connection between the driver and carriers toprevent the latter from running ahead of their respective driving disks, and thrust means extending from the inner carriers into engagement with said bearing surface.

5. In a braiding machine, the combination of a revolving drum having an annular bearing surface facing the axis of the machine, inner ya-rn carriers mounted to travel in a circular path within the revolving drum, a driver for the inner carriers, means for rotating thegdriver, driving disks rotatably mounted upon the driver, means actuated by the movement of the driver for positively rotating the disks, blocks secured to the carriers and having bearing surfaces that rest upon the driving disks to forma positive driving connection between the d 'iver and inner carriers, and thrust means extending from the inner carriers into engagement with said bearing surface.

6. In a braiding machine, the combina-' tion of a revolving outer drum having an annular bearing surface facing inwardly,

inner yarn carriers mounted to travel in a circular path within the revolving drum, a driver frame for the inner carriers, means for rotating the driver frame, notched driving disks rotatably mounted upon the driver frame, means for positively rotating the disks at a speed to cause the strands of yarn from the different outer yarncarriers to enter different notches of a driving disk, blocks secured to the carriers and having bearing surfaces that are, engaged by the disks to drive the carriers, and thrust means extending-from the inner carriers into engagement with said surface.

7. In a braidlng machine, the combination of a revolving outer drum, inner yarn carriers supported to travel in a circular path within the revolving drum, a driver frame for the inner carriers, means for rotating the driver frame, notched driving disks rotatably mounted upon the driver of a revolving outer drum, inner yarn carriers supported to travel in a circular path Within the revolving drum, a driver frame for the inner carriers, means for rotating the driver frame, a pair of bearing blocks secured'to each carrier to support the carrier at different points radially thereof, and driving disks mounted upon the driver frame in radially spaced relation from the axis of the machine to engage the bearing blocks so that the disks support and drive the inner carriers. e I

f).v In a braiding machine, the combination of a revolving outer drum having an annular bearing surface at its inner face, inner yarn carriers supported to travel in a circular path withinthe revolving drum, a driver frame for theinner carriers, means for rotating the driver frame, a p air of bearing blocks secured to each inner carrier at different distances from an end thereof, driving disks mounted upon the driver frame in radially spaced relation from the axis of the machine to (engage the bearing 25 blocks so that the disks support and drive the inner carriers, means for positively rotating said disks, and thrust means extending from the inner carriers into engagement with said bearing surface to hold the carriers in place upon said disks.

10. In a braiding machine, the combination of a revolving outer drum having an annular bearing surface atits inner face,

inner yarn carriers supportedto travel in a circular path Within the revolving drum, a driver frame supported to rotate about the axis of the braiding machine, means for rotating the driver frame, driving disks carried by the driving frame, bearing blocks secured to the inner carriers and constructed to rest upon the disks to cause the latter to support and drive the inner carriers, and sliding shoes projecting from the inner carriers into engagement with said bearing surface to hold the carriers in position upon the driver dlsks and each shoe having a relatively long bearing face that slides against said surface. v

11. In a braiding machine, the combination of a revolving outer drum having an annular bearing surface at its inner face, inner yarn carriers supported to travel in a eircular path within the revolving drum, a driver supported to rotate about the axis of the braidingmachine, means for rotating the driver, driving disks carried by the driver, bearing blocks secured to the inner carriers and having bearing faces which the disks engage to drive the inner carriers, and each carrier having a pair of spaced shoes extending from its outer end into sliding engagement with said annular hearing surface. 7

12. In a braiding machine, the combina tion of a revolving outer drum having an and extending from the outer ends of the carriers to slide against saidbearing surface.

13. In a braiding machine, the combina-' tion of a revolving outer drum having an annular bearing surface formed at its inner face, inner yarn carrierssupported to travel in a circular path Within the revolving drum, means for driving the inner earriers, and each inner carrier having an oil treated wooden shoe extending from the carrier into sliding engagement with said annular bearing surface to receive the centrifugal thrust of the carrier and forming a self-lubricating slide.

14. In a braiding machine, the combinationof a revolving outer drum having an annular groove in its inner face, inner yarn carriers supported to travel in a circular path within the revolving drum, means for driving the inner carriers, and each inner carrier having an oil ti'eatedwvooden shoe extending from the carrier into the annular groove to slide therein and forming a selflubricating slide.

'15. In a braiding machine, in combination, inner and outer yarn carriers supported to travel in opposite directions about the axis of thebraiding machine, means for driving the'inner and outer carriers, a supporting frame for the inner carriers having an annular bearing surface, and shoes upon'the inner carriers that slidably engage said bearing surface and constructed of oil soaked WOOCl to form self-lubricating slides.

16. In a braiding machine, in combination, outer and inner yarn carriers supported to travel in circular paths about the axis of the braiding machine, means for driving the outer carriers in one direction, means for driving the inner carriers inthe opposite direction, includingdriving disks that travel in a circular path about the axis 7 er the braiding machine, and bearing blocks upon the inner carriers positioned to be engaged by said disks to cause the latter to propel the inner carriers, said bearing blocks being formed of oil-treated wood to, present a self-lubricating bearing surface to each disk.

17. In a braiding machine,in combination, outer and inner yarn carriers supported to travel'in circular paths about the axis of the braiding machine, means for drivlng the outer carriers 11'1'0116 direction, a revolving driving frame for driving the inner carriers in the opposite directions,

driving disks journaled upon said driving frame, a bearing block upon each inner yarn carrier positioned to be engaged by a disk to, cause the latter to propel an inner carrier, means for positively rotating each driving disk relatively to its bearing block, and said bearing blocks being formed of oil treated Wood to provide a self lubricating bearing surface to the periphery of the cooperating disk.

18. In a braiding machine, in combination, a set of outer yarn carriers supported to be revolved in one direction, a set of inner yarn carriers supported to be revolved in the opposite direction, a bearing block secured to each inner yarn carrier and having a concave bearing surface, rotating disks adapted to enga e the concave bearing surface of said blocks to drive the inner yarn carriers, and means for supporting and driving said disks.

19. In a braiding machine, in combination, outer and inner yarn carriers supported to travel in opposite directions about the axis of the braiding machine, a revolving frame for supporting the inner yarn carriers, rotating disks upon said frame, a bearing block upon each inner carrier having a concave bearing surface adapted to rest upon a disk to support its inner carrier, and means for revolving said frame.

20. In a braiding machine, thecombination of a revolving drum having an annular bearing surface, inner and outer yarn carriers supported to revolve about the axis of the braiding machine, a driver frame for the inner yarn carriers, means for rotating said frame, driving disks carried by the driver frame, blocks secured to the inner carriers and having bearing surfaces that are engaged by said disks as the latter drive the inner carriers, and guiding means upon the inner carriers and engaging said bearing surface. i

21. In a braiding machine, the combination of a revolving drum having an annular bearing surface, outer yarn carriers mounted upon said drum to rotate therewith, inner yarn carriers mounted to travel in an annular path in the opposite direction to the outer yarn carriers, means for supporting the inner yarn carriers so that the strands of outer yarn may pass freely between the inner carriers and their supporting means, including a bearing block upon each inner carrier having a lower bearing surface, and rotatingdisks supported below said blocks to engage said bearing surface and support the inner carriers.

22. In a braiding machine, in combination, outer and inner yarn carriers supported to travel in circular paths about the axis of the braiding machine, means for driving the outer carriers in one direction, a revolving driving frame for driving the inner carriers in the opposite direction, a driving disk for each inner carrier journaled upon said driving frame, a bearing block upon each inner yarn carrier positioned to be engaged by a disk to cause the latter to propel an inner carrier, means for rotating each driving disk relatively to its cooperating block to promote the passage of outer strands of yarn between them, and one of said cooperating driving elements for each inner carrier being formed of oil treated Wood.

In testimony whereof, I name to this specification.

OTTO A. FREDERICKSON.

have signed my 

